Various means are known to secure terminals inside of cavities of a housing. These include the use of potting compound, spring clips and the like. Especially in a multiterminal housing it is important that all terminals be held securely and in accurate alignment during assembly and handling of the housing and during mating with a corresponding housing which may involve significant insertion force, to maintain the precise alignment of many terminals with their counterpart terminals. Such concerns are also important during in-service use of the housing and during disengagement of one housing from the other when a terminal therein may be subjected to tensile force or tugging and possibly become dislodged from or loosened within its cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,325 discloses a lock plate insertable into a connector housing's rear slot adjacent an associate row of terminated conductors secured in the housing. Each lock plate latchably secures to the housing and secures the stamped and formed channel-shaped terminals of that row in their respective passageways forwardly of the lock plate, by means of engaging perpendicular tabs of each terminal. Two such plates can secure two rows of terminals in the housing. The lock plate is said to move any partially seated terminals to a fully seated position, during insertion of the lock plate into the housing.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 36860/84 discloses a plate-shaped spacer insertable into a housing adjacent a row of terminated conductors, and having forwardly extending portions each associated with a respective terminal. Each such portion has a projection extending toward a respective terminal and engaging therebehind, securing the respective terminals in respective housing cavities when the spacer is latchingly secured in the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,355 discloses one method which involves, in a housing having two rows of several cavities containing terminals therein, inserting a long, thin rectangular member from a side of the housing and between the two rows of terminals such that the side edges of the insert member project into recesses on the terminals to hold them in place. U.S. Pat. No. 3,601,760 discloses mating plug and female housings, each with two rows of cavities containing terminals, which cavities have flexible walls with locating tabs which enter annular recesses of the terminals to position and hold the terminals, and a long, thin rectangular member is then inserted from a side of the housing assembly into an opening between the cavities to prevent free flexing of the walls while it locks the plug and female housings and the pin and socket terminals together.
It is desirable to have, in addition to a securing means, a secondary means to assure that the terminals remain properly secured within their respective cavities after assembly, during handling and in-service use. It is also desirable to do this in a way which permits disassembly for removal and replacement of terminals, for instance. Further, it is desirable to do this in an economical manner. It is also desirable to provide a means to provide terminal position assurance, that is, a means to actively position a terminal properly within its cavity by moving it axially forwardly until it is seated or latchably secured therein.
It is still further desirable to have a single means which secures two rows of terminals in place simultaneously and also provides terminal position assurance therefor.